China’s fast-growing economy has helped it to shrug off much of the impact of the global financial crisis: of the Hurun list of China’s 1,000 richest people, 271 were billionaires in U.S. dollar terms, up from 189 in 2010, he said.

Zong Qinghou, head of the Wahaha beverage empire, dropped to second place with $10.7 billion, while Robin Li Yanhong, chairman of search engine company Baidu Inc. was third, with $8.8 billion. Red Bull energy drinks mogul Yan Bin was fourth, with $7.8 billion.

China has thrown trillions of dollars into new housing, railways and other infrastructure, driving a massive construction boom that has benefited manufacturers of machinery, cement and other building materials.